The Brides of Rollrock IslandOn remote Rollrock Island, men go to sea to make their livings—and to catch their wives. The witch Misskaella knows the way of drawing a girl from the heart of a seal, of luring the beauty out of the beast. And for a price a man may buy himself a lovely sea-wife. He may have and hold and keep her. And he will tell himself that he is her master. But from his first look into those wide, questioning, liquid eyes, he will be just as transformed as she. He will be equally ensnared. And the witch will have her true payment. Margo Lanagan weaves an extraordinary tale of desire, despair, and transformation. With devastatingly beautiful prose, she reveals characters capable of unspeakable cruelty, but also unspoken love. |
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Page 4
... blanket she had already made, and the end of her bone knitting hook jittered and danced at her shoulder as she made more, and the rest of her looked as immovable as rocks, except her swiveling head, which watched us, watched the sea ...
... blanket she had already made, and the end of her bone knitting hook jittered and danced at her shoulder as she made more, and the rest of her looked as immovable as rocks, except her swiveling head, which watched us, watched the sea ...
Page 6
... blanket!” Her eyes bulged in their cavities like glistening rock'pool creatures; I'd have wet myself, if I'd had anything in me to wet with. "We're only collecting seaahearts, Misskaella," said Grinny politely, and l ~6...
... blanket!” Her eyes bulged in their cavities like glistening rock'pool creatures; I'd have wet myself, if I'd had anything in me to wet with. "We're only collecting seaahearts, Misskaella," said Grinny politely, and l ~6...
Page 7
... blanket. She knitted on savagely. The bone's rustling in the weed sent my boy'sacks up inside me like startled mice to their hole. “That's right. Keep 'em sweet, keep 'em sweet, those pretty mams.” There was a pause, she sounded so ...
... blanket. She knitted on savagely. The bone's rustling in the weed sent my boy'sacks up inside me like startled mice to their hole. “That's right. Keep 'em sweet, keep 'em sweet, those pretty mams.” There was a pause, she sounded so ...
Page 20
... bent over a chest with its lid open against the wall. “Don't move anything,” said Gert. “It's right at the back here. Hold the clothes and blankets away so it doesn't catch on them." The back of the chest seemed to come away in ~20~
... bent over a chest with its lid open against the wall. “Don't move anything,” said Gert. “It's right at the back here. Hold the clothes and blankets away so it doesn't catch on them." The back of the chest seemed to come away in ~20~
Page 22
... blankets, and closed the lid; 1 pretended to help, although I was really too small to be of much use. 1 only wanted the chance to touch the wood, so old, so ornamented—the perfect container for a secret. My plump little hand looked so ...
... blankets, and closed the lid; 1 pretended to help, although I was really too small to be of much use. 1 only wanted the chance to touch the wood, so old, so ornamented—the perfect container for a secret. My plump little hand looked so ...
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Aggie Ann Jelly arms babs Bannister beach Billy blanket boat bothy breath Cave Cove Cawdron cliff coat cold Cordlin Crescent Corner curled Dad's dark Dominic Mallett door eyes face fell felt Fisher front girl glad gone Grassy Grinny hair hand head heard held Johnny Baker Kitty knew Knocknee lads laughed lifted lips little prince looked Lorel Mam's MARGO LANAGAN married Missk Misskaella Missus Mister mole mouth Nanny Nase Naseby Neme never night path Potshead Prout pulled pushed Raditch remember rock Rollrock seals seaweed seemed shook shoulder sight skin smell smile Sophie stared stay step stood talk Tatty tell There's thing thought told took town Trudle turned voice walked wall watched wavelets waves weed Whistle Top Wholeman wife Winch wind window witch wives woman